Glass furnace



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Aug. 24 1926.

gn'ue'ntoz J geef/im Patented Aug. 24, 1926.

JAMES T. KEENAN, 0F PARKERSBU'RG, WEST VIRG'ITIlIExu GLASS FURNACE.

Application filed July 7, ,1924. Serial No. 724,628.

This invention relates to glass melting furnaces and more particularly to improved means for delivering moltenglass from the furnace tank or other reservoir.

Many difficulties have heretofore surrounded the feeding of flowing ,molten glass from the furnace because of the high temperature at which the material must be kept to maintain the required plasticityk and likewise, dueto the extremely viscous 'nature of the molten glass, the material adheres to the feeding instrumentalities unless they are kept cool, and in that `case the glass is liable to become chilled. This chilled portion of the glass must then bev chipped from the feeding implements, and, although it may be fed'back to the furnace and remelted, it greatly decreases the operating efficiency of the system, especially when dealingA with translucent glass compounds. Again, the ladling processes heretofore inA use are eX- pensive, requiring excessive cost of production of the glass orv similar material manufactured.- Attempts may have also been made to feed the molten glass by displacement thereof in the tank. as for instance pneumatically or by a series of surges, but such methods have been found tombe impractical and ineiiicientzespecially with large working capacities.

The main object of my invention, then` is to provide an improved mechanism for elevating and flowing a quantity of molten glass from the furnace tank to the casting r table or blowing machine, pressing machines or the like without the `use of dipping ladles or devices similarin character. I.

A. further object is to .provide an acceler# 'ating feeding action of the molten glass and onel that is quickly and easily controllable both as to its manner of operation and as to the quantity of glass fed by a single operator. A i

Another object is the provision of a feeding device of the above described character that effects delivery of the molten glass in a comparatively purestate and without dcfects. such as bubbles, seeds. and 'the like which occur with the use of dipping ladles. A further object. is to provide a feeding device for moltengglass in whichA a surplus amount of the molten material is returned to the tank by gravity.

,The invention accordingly consists in the provision of a small furnace in front of the main furnace or tank and communica-l tion therewithA by means of a bridge wali and a relatively constricted throat. The auxiliary furnace is provided with one or more plungers adapted to be mechanically reciprocated and upon being reciprocated into the molten glass acts to displace the sama causing it to rise and overflow through an opening in the auxiliary tank above the level of the ordinary molten glass and to be dropped or fed to the casting table or blowing machine as desired.

Other objects of the invention than those stated above,` together with the advantages inherent therein, will be in part obvious and in part specifically referredito in the course of the following description of the various elements,- arrangement of parts.l combinations thereof, and application of the principles 'constituting the invention and the scope of invention contemplated will appear from the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as part of the disclosure, and in which I have shown a preferred form or embodiment of 'my invention- Figure l is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of the furnace and feeding device therefor; Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the auxiliary tank and reciprocating plunger; Figure 3 is a detail in section, on theline 3--3 of Figure l', with certain'parts removed., showing the construction of the auxiliary tank; and

Figure 4. is a. detail embodying the plunger and cooling means therefor.

ieferring to the drawings, and more par ticular-ly Figure l, the numeral 10 indicates a main furnace comprising the melting chamber 1l, which is heated by any suitable means, and a' refining chamber l2. vare in communication with each other through the opening 13, the parts so far described being customary in furnaces of this tvne- 4 Positioned at the frontof the refining 'chamber l2 is an auxiliary or feeding chaintitl These 4 Uitl ' displaced, his v 'back by .t

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of by pungsr is l opening above the normal glass level there- 1n, a displacer of refractory material, and means to reciprocate said displacer 1n said tank to displace the molten glass above its normal level therein and thereby discharge the same through said discharge outlet, the walls of said tank being sloped inwardly above the normal level ot' the molten glass thereby to 'effect an accelerated displacement action.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a glass melting tank and a communicating refining. tank, an auxiliary tank in communication with the refining tank and having a discharge opening above the normal glass level therein, a displacer of refractory material, means to cool said displacer, and means to reciprocate said displaccr in ,said auxiliary tank todisplace the molten glass above its normal level thereinv and thereby discharge the same through said discharge outlet, the walls of said auxil- Aiary tank being sloped inwardly above the normal level of the molten glass thereby to effect an accelerated displacement action. Signed at Parkersburg, W. Va., this 30th day of J-un'e, 1924. y JAMES T, KEENAN. 

